The Host answers the party’s questions. The villain reveals himself. And Eliera finds a bit of closure in the land of the elven dead.

In these Campaign Diary posts, I talk about the campaign I play in and our most recent session!

About SBotLL

SBotLL is the campaign I play in that has been running for over five years now. There are two parties: one mostly good-aligned party that started on the surface, and one mostly evil-aligned party that started in the Underdark.

The good-aligned party includes these characters:

  • Finnith (me), high elf bard/rune scribe
  • Nala, dragonborn rogue
  • Allora, tiefling/elf ranger

It also includes Allora’s animal companion, Frikka the bear, plus the NPCs Amuulqalo and Rupert.

The evil-aligned party includes these characters:

  • Eliera, dark elf/high elf ranger/warlock
  • Cipher, changeling rogue/mystic (currently operating as a human named Albion)
  • Baala’rug, tiefling monk

This group also includes Eliera’s animal companion, Artemis the dire wolf, plus the NPCs Naivara, Ivellios, and Daear (played by me).

Recap

Last time, the group on the Material Plane reached Vindus’ realm. The combined party pushes onward to reach the entrance to the Shadowfell and reunite with Finnith and Daear there.

In these past two sessions…

The group on the Material Plane enter Vindus’ realm and speak with the wind deity. He has regained more of his memories since the meteor fell. The re-emergence of the star spawn seems to imply that the Void is acting again to threaten the peace of the Material Plane. But Vindus assures the party that the Host—who is also known as the Raven Queen—will have more answers for them.

They reach the Shadowfell and reunite with Finnith and Daear in the Raven Queen’s manor. Shortly afterwards, the Host makes their appearance. Everyone sits to hear what they have to say.

The Host explains that they have chosen the player characters to fight against the Void’s incursion into the Material Plane. They tell the story of the world’s creation and how the Void was envious of the things within creation, while the Void had nothing. So the Void has attempted to use mortals to enact its will and destroy the world.

One of these agents of the void is Thoren Amakiir, a name that Finnith recognizes. Thoren, also known as Neroth, has been teaching Finnith rune magic in exchange for information about what’s going on on the Surface. Finnith believed that Neroth was working to help the people in the Underdark.

But Neroth appeared out of nowhere, revealing that he had been using Finnith all along in order to work with the Void to destroy reality. He goes to strike Finnith, but Vindus’ power activates and protects him. He then disappears, telling the good squad that he’s left them a “gift” for when they return.

The Host tells the group that one day soon, they will have to fight Neroth and the Six, which are all equally-powerful clones of Neroth. They should also choose confidants that will help fight the Void’s incursion to the Material Plane.

After this, Eliera asks about who is in the Shadowfell. She goes to search for her mother, who was killed when she was young. She finds her in the Fortress of Memories. The two get to talk to each other, and Eliera tells her about her friends and her adventures.